January second, two thousand and fourteen…. FOURTEEN!

Last year I showed up to my blog on our first day of 2013 and timely wrote “Ponderings“. This year I’m struggling to ponder, reflect, and offer up wise thoughts on already the second day of the New Year. My mind wanders to the novel I’m reading and I think, get on with it. Just write. Then you can curl up and read.

Obviously, I’m not ready to let the “holidays” go. As 2013 was a very full, creative, challenging, and busy year, this latter part of the year offered me, finally, a moment to release and just be a couch sloth. A trip to my chiropractor today, however, revealed that slothing isn’t that great for one’s back and neck. Time to get moving again!

But… did I mention that I’m not that ready to get going? My fingers are crossed that the foggy chocolate brain will ease by the weekend, and NEXT Monday will be the real return to normal life.

I witness people setting their goals, and big plans for the upcoming year and I wonder “what are mine?”.  Last year, as the year before, I chose three words to repeat each day in order to inspire consciousness in my actions of the day, week, year.

Create, nurture, and honour. My 2013 words. For the most part, I did follow these verbs. In creating my one woman show, Dusty Shoes, and taking it to two Fringe Festivals, I honoured myself, and I believe I nurtured my personal path as well. The venture was one I had dreamed about for years.

I didn’t do it alone, though. I had sooooo many people support me, encourage me, work with me, offer me assistance in such generous ways. I am so grateful and fortunate.

In reflection, 2013 was a year of immense gratitude time and time again. It was also a somber time of having to help my family during difficult changes. All enriching experiences.

As I lounge (yes.. lOUNge) into 2014, I believe the energy is giving me a clue to one of my words for this year…. breathe. Breathe and read, breathe and sit, breathe and get off the computer, breathe and be with friends, breathe and move outdoors.

Through a New Years Eve conversation with friends, I think I discovered my second word, deepen. Deepen your reasons for why you do what you do. Is it just to make a buck, or does it go deeper? Or can it go deeper?

Third word? It stems from a book I received at Christmas, “Laughter”. Laugh, or Seek laughter, lightness. Even during the dark times a laugh can drive you through that murky tunnel. Maybe I can create some laughs, and have a laugh myself.

What do you think?

To you, I wish a good journey on the 2014 train. May you and your loved ones have the strength, the humour, and the love to thrive and to also hold you in a tough moments.

Bonne Annee!